Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad had been clubbed together in the proposal sent by the state government to the urban development ministry. Pune was among the ten cities selected in the Smart Cities Mission. The other cities were Navi Mumbai, Nashik, Thane, Greater Mumbai, Amravati, Solapur, Nagpur, Kalyan-Dombivali, and Aurangabad. However, there was no mention of Pimpri Chinchwad.

After this exclusion, there were angry reactions from political leaders and activists. In September, the general body approved a resolution at a special meeting for inclusion of Pimpri Chinchwad in the Smart Cities Mission. The proposal was sent to the state government and later forwarded to the urban development ministry. District guardian minister Girish Bapat had said that the state government will consider a special package and additional funds for Pimpri Chinchwad’s development.

In October, a delegation led by former agriculture minister Sharad Pawar along with mayor Shakuntala Dharade and elected office-bearers met Venkaiah Naidu for inclusion in the list.

The proposal, which included 18 development projects for the mission, will be revived. Some projects include 24x7 water supply, Wi-Fi service, riverfront development, construction of waste to energy plant, upgrade of 13 sewage treatment plants, and expansion of the Bus Rapid Transit System corridors.

The city with a population of over 20 lakh is likely to get Rs 1,000 crore for its projects. As part of JNNURM, Pimpri Chinchwad had received the “best performing city'' award under urban infrastructure and governance in December 2011.